Not only did Jesus call the unsaved to turn from sin, He also called them to commit themselves to follow and obey immediately. He never offered salvation on lesser terms, as is often done today. He never invited people to “accept” Him, promising them forgiveness, and then later suggested that they might want to commit themselves to obey Him. No, Jesus demanded that the very first step be a step of whole-hearted commitment.

Sadly, Jesus’ calls to costly commitment are often simply ignored by professing Christians. Or, if they are acknowledged, are explained away as being calls to a deeper relationship that are supposedly addressed, not to the unsaved, but to those who have already received God’s saving grace. Yet so many of these “believers” who claim that Jesus’ calls to costly commitment are addressed to them rather than the unsaved do not heed His calls as they interpret them. In their minds, they have the option not to respond in obedience, and they never do.

Let’s consider one of Jesus’ invitations to salvation that is often interpreted to be a call to a deeper walk, supposedly addressed to those who are already saved:

And He [Jesus] summoned the multitude with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s shall save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:34-38).

Is this an invitation to salvation addressed to unbelievers or an invitation to a more committed relationship addressed to believers? As we read honestly, the answer becomes obvious.

First, notice that the crowd Jesus was speaking to consisted of “the multitude with His disciples” (v. 34, emphasis added). Clearly then, the “multitude” did not consist of His disciples. They, in fact, were “summoned” by Him to hear what He was about to say. Jesus wanted everyone, followers and seekers, to understand the truth He was about to teach. Notice also that He then began by saying, “If anyone” (v. 34, emphasis added). His words apply to anyone and everyone.

As we continue reading, it becomes even clearer who Jesus was addressing. Specifically, His words were directed at every person who desired to (1) “come after” Him, (2) “save his life,” (3) not “forfeit his soul,” and (4) be among those whom He will not be ashamed of when He “comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” All four of these expressions indicate Jesus was describing people who desired to be saved. Are we to think that there is a heaven-bound person who does not want to “come after” Jesus and “save his life”? Are we to think that there are true believers who will “forfeit their souls,” who are ashamed of Jesus and His words, and of whom Jesus will be ashamed when He returns? Obviously, Jesus was talking about gaining eternal salvation in this passage of Scripture.

Notice that each of the last four sentences in this five-sentence passage all begin with the word “For.” Thus each sentence helps to explain and expand upon the previous sentence. No sentence within this passage should be interpreted without considering how the others illuminate it. Let’s consider Jesus’ words sentence by sentence with that in mind.

Jesus certainly didn’t think that becoming a disciple was a secondary, optional step for believers. His three requirements for discipleship that we read in Luke 14 were not addressed to believers as an invitation to a higher level of commitment. Rather, His words were addressed to everyone among the multitudes. Discipleship is the first step in a relationship with God. Moreover, we read in John 8:

As He [Jesus] spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make your free” (John 8:31-32).

No one can intelligently argue against the undeniable fact that Jesus was talking to newly-professing believers about being His disciples. Jesus did not say to those newly-professing believers, “Sometime in the future you may want to consider taking the next step, a step of commitment, to become My disciples.” No, Jesus spoke to those new believers as if He expected them to be disciples already, as if the words believer and disciple were synonymous terms. He told those newly-professing believers that the way they could prove they were His disciples was by abiding in His word, which would result in their being set free from sin (see 8:34-36).

Jesus knew that just people’s profession of faith was no guarantee that they really did believe. He also knew that those who truly believed He was the Son of God would act like it—they would immediately become His disciples—yearning to obey and please Him. Such believers/disciples would naturally abide in His Word, making it their home. And as they discovered His will by learning His commandments, they would be progressively set free from sin.

That is why Jesus immediately challenged those new believers to test themselves. His statement, “If you are truly My disciples” indicates He believed there was a possibility that they were not true disciples, but only professing disciples. They could be fooling themselves. Only if they passed Jesus’ test could they be certain they were His true disciples. (And it seems from reading the rest of the dialogue in John 8:37-59 that Jesus certainly had good reason to doubt their sincerity.)^[1]

Our key scripture, Matthew 28:18-20, itself dispels the theory that disciples are a higher class of committed believers. Jesus commanded in His Great Commission that disciples be baptized. Of course, the record of the book of Acts indicates that the apostles didn’t wait until new believers took a “second step of radical commitment to Christ” before they baptized them. Rather, the apostles baptized all new believers almost immediately after their conversion. They believed that all true believers were disciples.

In this regard, those who believe that disciples are the uniquely committed believers are not consistent with their own theology. Most of them baptize anyone who professes to believe in Jesus, not waiting for them to reach the committed level of “discipleship.” Yet if they really believe what they preach, they should only baptize those who reach the discipleship level, which would be very few among their ranks.

Perhaps one final blow to this diabolical doctrine will suffice. If disciples are different than believers, why is it that John wrote that love for the brethren is the identifying mark of true born-again believers (see 1 John 3:14), and Jesus said that love for the brethren is the identifying mark of His true disciples (John 13:35)?

^[1] This passage of Scripture also exposes the mistaken modern practice of assuring new converts of their salvation. Jesus did not assure these newly-professing converts that they were surely saved because they had prayed a short prayer to accept Him or verbalized faith in Him. Rather, He challenged them to consider if their profession was genuine. We should follow His example.

Biblically speaking, a disciple is a sincere believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, one who is abiding in His Word and consequently being set free from sin. A disciple is one who is learning to obey all of Christ’s commandments, and one who loves Jesus more than his own family, his own comfort, and his possessions, and he manifests that love by his lifestyle. Jesus’ true disciples love one another and demonstrate that love in practical ways. They are bearing fruit.^[1] These are the kinds of people Jesus wants.

Obviously those who are not His disciples cannot make disciples for Him. Thus we must first be certain that we ourselves are His disciples before we attempt to make any disciples for Him. Many ministers, when weighed against the biblical definition of what a disciple is, fall short. There is no hope that such ministers can make disciples, and they in fact, won’t even try. They are not committed enough themselves to Jesus Christ to endure the difficulties that come with making true disciples.

From this point on, I’m going to assume that ministers who continue reading are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ themselves, fully committed to obeying His commandments. If you are not, there is no sense in your reading any further until you make the necessary commitment to become a true disciple. Don’t wait any longer! Fall on your knees and repent! By His marvelous grace, God will forgive you and make you a new creation in Christ!

^[1] This definition is derived from what we’ve already read in Matthew 28:18-20, John 8:31-32; 13:25, 15:8 and Luke 14:25-33.

All of this is to say that a truly successful minister is one who obeys Jesus’ commandment to make disciples, and who knows that repentance, commitment and discipleship are not options for heaven-bound believers. Rather, they are the only authentic expression of saving faith. Therefore, the successful minister preaches a biblical gospel to the unsaved. He calls the unsaved to repent and follow Jesus, and he does not assure the uncommitted of their salvation.

A perfect picture of salvation offered by grace through faith is found in the story of Jesus’ encounter with the woman caught in the act of adultery. Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you [that is grace, because she deserved to be condemned]; go your way; from now on sin no more” (John 8:11, emphasis added). When she deserved to die, Jesus let her go free. He sent her away, however, with a warning: From now on sin no more. This is exactly what Jesus is saying to every sinner in the world—”I’m not condemning you now. You deserve to die and be condemned forever in hell, but I’m showing you grace. My grace, however, is only temporary, so repent. Stop sinning now, before My grace ends and you find yourself standing before My judgment seat as a guilty sinner.”

Let us imagine that adulterous woman repented as Jesus instructed her. If she did, she was saved by grace through faith. She was saved by grace because she could never have been saved without God’s grace, being a sinner. She could never rightly say that she earned her salvation by her works. And she was saved throughfaith because she believed in Jesus and thus believed what He said to her, heeding His warning, and turned from her sin before it was too late. Anyone who has genuine faith in Jesus will repent, because Jesus warned that unless people repent, they will perish (see Luke 13:3). Jesus also solemnly declared that only those who do the will of the Father will enter heaven (Matt. 7:21). If one believes in Jesus, one will believe and heed His warnings.

But let us imagine that the adulterous woman didn’t repent of her sin. She kept on sinning and then died and stood at Jesus’ judgment seat. Imagine her saying to Jesus, “Oh Jesus! It is so good to see You! I remember how You didn’t condemn me for my sin when I was brought before You on the earth. Surely You are still just as gracious. You didn’t condemn me then, so surely You won’t condemn me now!”

What do you think? Would Jesus welcome her into heaven? The answer is obvious. Paul warned, “Do not be deceived; neither fornicators…nor adulterers…shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

All of this is to say that Jesus’ requirements for discipleship are nothing more than a requirement for genuine faith in Him, what amounts to saving faith. And everyone who has saving faith has been saved by grace through faith. There are no biblical grounds for the claim that, because salvation is by grace, Jesus’ requirements for discipleship are incompatible with His requirements for salvation. Discipleship is not an optional step for heaven-bound believers; rather, discipleship is the evidence of genuine saving faith.^[1]

This being so, to be successful in God’s eyes, a minister should begin rightly the process of disciple-making by preaching the true gospel, calling people to an obedient faith. When ministers promote the false doctrine that discipleship is an optional step of commitment for heaven-bound believers, they are working against Christ’s commandment to make disciples and are proclaiming a false grace and false gospel. Only Christ’s true disciples possess saving faith and are going to heaven, just as Jesus promised: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21).

^[1] It is also helpful to keep in mind that the reason Paul often affirmed that salvation is by grace and not works is because he was constantly fighting the true legalists of his day. Paul was not trying to correct people who taught that holiness is essential for heaven, because he himself believed and often affirmed that fact. Rather, he wrote to correct Jews who, having no concept of God’s grace in salvation, did not see any reason for Jesus to have died. Many did not believe that Gentiles could ever be saved because they had no concept of God’s grace making salvation possible. Some thought that circumcision, physical lineage, or keeping the Law (which they did not do anyway) earned one’s salvation, thus nullifying God’s grace and the need for Christ to have died.

There are many we could consider, but let us look at one other call to commitment by the Lord Jesus that is nothing less than a call to salvation:

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30).

Evangelists often use this passage of Scripture in their evangelistic invitations, and rightly so. These words are clearly an invitation to salvation. Here Jesus is offering rest to those who are “weary and heavy-laden.” He is not offering physical rest for those who are physically burdened, but rest for their souls, as He says. Unsaved people are weighted down with guilt, fear and sin, and when they become weary of it, they then become good candidates for salvation.

If such people want to receive the rest that Jesus is offering, they must do two things according to Him. They must (1) come to Him and (2), they must take His yoke upon them.

False grace teachers often twist the obvious meaning of the expression “taking Jesus’ yoke.” Some actually claim that Jesus was speaking of a yoke that must be around His own neck, which is why He called it “My yoke.” And Jesus must have been speaking of a double-yoke they say, one half of which is around His neck and the other half of which is empty, waiting for us to take on our necks. We should understand, however, that Jesus is promising to do all the pulling of the plow because He said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Thus our only job, according to such teachers, is to make sure we stay yoked to Jesus by faith, allowing Him to do all the work for our salvation, while we just enjoy the benefits offered through His grace! That interpretation, obviously, is quite forced.

No, when Jesus said that weary people should take His yoke, He meant that they should submit to Him, making Him their master, allowing Him to direct their lives. That is why Jesus said we should take His yoke and then learn of Him. Unsaved people are like wild oxen, going their own way and ruling their own lives. When they take Jesus’ yoke, they give up control to Him. And the reason Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden is light is because He empowers us by His indwelling Spirit to obey Him.

Thus we see again that Jesus called people to salvation, in this case symbolized as a rest for the weary, by calling people to submit to Him and make Him their Lord.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26, emphasis added).

Isn’t it wonderful to know that we are actually God’s own sons, born of His Spirit? When we come to Him in prayer, we approach Him not only as our God but also as our Father!

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10, emphasis added).

God has not only created us, He also recreated us in Christ. Moreover, God has predestined a ministry for each of us to fulfill, “good works…prepared beforehand.” We each have an individual divine destiny.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21, emphasis added).

The righteousness that we possess because we are in Christ is actually God’s own righteousness. That’s because God has indwelt us and transformed us by the Holy Spirit. Our good deeds are really God’s good deeds through us.

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us (Rom. 8:37, emphasis added).

What are “these things” of which Paul wrote? The verses in Romans that precede this verse reveal that they are the trials and sufferings that believers experience. Even in martyrdom we are the victors, although the world may consider us victims. We overwhelmingly conquer through Christ because when we die, we go to heaven!

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13, emphasis added).

Through Christ, nothing is impossible to us because God gives us ability and strength. We can accomplish any task He gives us.

My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19, emphasis added).

We can expect that God will meet our true needs if we seek first His kingdom. The Lord is our shepherd, and He takes care of His sheep!

We should believe and say that we are who God says we are.

We should believe and say that we can do what God says we can do.

We should believe and say that God is who He says He is.

We should believe and say that God will do what He says He will do.

Here are some scriptural statements that all believers can boldly declare. Not all are necessarily “in Christ” realities, but all are true according to Scripture.

I am redeemed, sanctified and made righteous in Christ (see 1 Cor. 1:30).

I’ve been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and into to the kingdom of God’s Son, the kingdom of light (see Col. 1:13).

All of my sins have been forgiven in Christ (see Eph. 1:7).

I am a new creation in Christ—my old life has passed away (see 2 Cor. 5:17).

God has prepared good works beforehand for me to walk in (see Eph. 2:10).

I’ve become the righteousness of God in Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:21).

I overwhelmingly conquer in all things through Christ who loved me (see Rom. 8:37).

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (see Phil. 4:13).

My God supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ (see Phil. 4:19).

I am called to be a saint (see 1 Cor. 1:2).

I am a child of God (see John 1:12, 1 John 3:1-2).

My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 6:19).

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (see Gal. 2:20).

I have been delivered from Satan’s authority (see Acts 26:18).

God’s love has been shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 5:5).

Greater is He who is in me than he (Satan) who is in the world (see 1 John 4:4).

I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (see Eph. 1:3).

I am seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above all of Satan’s spiritual forces (see Eph. 2:4-6).

Because I love God and am called according to His purpose, He is causing all things to work together for good (see Rom. 8:28).

If God is for me, who can be against me? (see Rom. 8:31).

Nothing can separate me from Christ’s love (see Rom. 8:35-39).

All things are possible for me because I’m a believer (see Mark 9:23).

I am a priest of God (see Rev. 1:6).

Because I am His child, God is leading me by His Spirit (see Rom. 8:14).

As I follow the Lord, the path of my life is getting brighter and brighter (see Prov. 4:18).

God has given me special gifts to use for His service (see 1 Pet. 4:10-11).

I can cast out demons and lay hands on the sick so that they will recover (see Mark 16:17-18).

God always leads me in triumph in Christ (see 2 Cor. 2:14).

I am an ambassador for Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:20).

I have eternal life (see John 3:16).

Everything I ask in prayer, believing, I receive (see Matt. 21:22).

By Jesus’ stripes, I am healed (see 1 Pet. 2:24).

I am the salt of the earth and the light of the world (see Matt. 5:13-14).

I am an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ (see Rom. 8:17).

I am part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession (see 1 Pet. 2:9).

I am a member of the body of Christ (see 1 Cor. 12:27).

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (see Ps. 23:1).

The Lord is the defense of my life—whom shall I fear? (see Ps. 27:1).

God will satisfy me with long life (see Ps. 91:16).

Christ bore my sicknesses and carried my pains (see Is. 53:4-5).

The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid (see Heb. 13:6).

I cast all my cares upon the Lord because He cares for me (see 1 Pet. 5:7).

I resist the devil, and he flees from me (see Jas. 4:7).

I am finding my life by losing if for Jesus’ sake (see Matt. 16:25).

I am the Lord’s bondslave (see 1 Cor. 7:22).

For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (see Phil. 1:21).

My citizenship is in heaven (see Phil. 3:20).

God will complete the good work He has begun in me (see Phil. 1:6).

God is at work within me, to do His good pleasure (see Phil. 2:13).

I’ve been redeemed from the curse of the law (see Gal. 3:13).

This is just a small sampling of positive declarations that we can make based on the Word of God. It would be a good idea to make a habit of saying these declarations until the truths they affirm become deeply rooted in our hearts. And we should monitor every word that comes out of our mouths to make sure we aren’t taking sides against what God has said.

Some of us, unfortunately, don’t believe what the Word of God says about us, as indicated by our making statements that contradict what the Bible says. Instead of saying, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” we’re saying, “I don’t think I can make it.”

Such statements are what the Bible calls “bad reports” because they disagree with what God says (see Num. 13:32). If, however, our hearts are full of God’s Word, we will be full of faith, believing and saying only what agrees with Scripture.

Throughout the New Testament epistles, we find phrases such as “in Christ,” “with Christ,” “through Christ,” and “in Him.” These frequently reveal some benefit that we as believers possess because of what Jesus has done for us. When we see ourselves as God sees us, “in Christ,” it will help us to live as God wants us to live. The disciple-making minister will want to teach his disciples who they are in Christ to help them grow to full spiritual maturity.

First, what does it mean to be “in Christ”?

When we are born again, we’re placed into Christ’s body and become one with Him, spiritually. Let’s take a look at a few sample verses from the New Testament epistles that affirm this:

So we, who are many, are one body in Christ (Rom. 12:5, emphasis added).

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17, emphasis added).

Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it (1 Cor. 12:27, emphasis added).

We who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ should see ourselves as joined to Him, members of His body and one spirit with Him. He is in us and we’re in Him.

Here’s a verse that tells us some of the benefits that we have by virtue of our being in Christ:

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus , who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30, emphasis added).

In Christ, we’ve been made righteous (declared “not guilty” and now do what is right), sanctified (set apart for God’s holy use), and redeemed (purchased from slavery). We’re not waiting to be made righteous, sanctified or redeemed at some point in the future. Rather, we have all those blessings right now because we are in Christ.

In Christ we’ve had our former sins forgiven:

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins (Col. 1:13-14, emphasis added).

Notice that this scripture also tells that that we’re no longer in Satan’s kingdom, the domain of darkness, but are now in the kingdom of light, the kingdom of Jesus.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ , he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17, emphasis added).

Praise God that if you are a follower of Christ, you are a “new creature,” like a caterpillar changed into a butterfly! Your spirit has been given a new nature. Previously you possessed Satan’s selfish nature in your spirit, but now all of your past life has “passed away.”